BABES IN CHRIST

I Peter 2:2 "as newborn
babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby"

Lessons designed to promote the first principles of the oracles of God!

"Written By: David Hicks
New King James Version

Lesson 2: "Not
Forsaking the Assembly of Ourselves Together!"

From beginning of Jewish dispensation God
has commanded His people to assemble together to worship and learn of
Him:

1.The tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and the
temple became the center of the Jews' religion.

2.One of the first resolutions made by the
Jews when they returned to their land after captivity related to such
assemblies (Nehemiah 10:39).

3.If even Jesus, the Son of God, saw the
need of regular public worship, surely those who have committed
themselves to “walk even as He walked” should recognize
that same need.

(Luke 4:16 “So He came to Nazareth , where He had
been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on
the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.”).

4.While there is value and benefit to be
derived from private worship, God in the New Covenant has ordained
regular public worship for our spiritual well being.

5.Faithfulness to God and His Word has
always been in direct ratio to faithfulness to His appointed assemblies.

I.WHY SHOULD I ATTEND EVERY
SERVICE OF THE CHURCH?

a.Because I need the spiritual food offered.

i.
I should have a
compelling desire for such food. (1
Peter 2:2-3;
Romans 1:16-17) The desire for spiritual food should
be as instinctual as a baby for milk!

ii.The exceeding value of God's Word seen
in –

2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may
be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

iii.This word can save my soul (James
1:21).

iv.This word can enrich my life (Colossians
1:9-11).

v.
This word can keep me
from falling (2 Peter 1:5-11;
2:20-22).

vi.This word is my weapon against
temptation (Ephesians 6:13-17).

vii. This word can give me victory
over the world.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.”

1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the
world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

viii. This word will
help me to GROW! In view of these facts, I
should naturally want to be at every service where this wonderful
Word is preached or taught.

b.Because I want to present myself as a holy
sacrifice unto God.

i.My reasonable service.

ii. To be acceptable.

iii.To renew my mind.

(Romans
12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you
may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God.)

c.Because I want to cooperate with and be in
subjection to those who watch for my soul.

i.To the elders God has given this
fearful responsibility.

(Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be
submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give
account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be
unprofitable for you.”).

ii.They are to “feed” (Pastor, shepherd)
the flock.

(Acts 20:28 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to
all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”)

1.To fulfill that responsibility
they must provide regular and balanced feeding (Hebrews
5:12-14).

2.Just as parents are concerned when
their children fail to eat as they should, elders are concerned
when members who forsake and neglect these feeding periods.

d.Because God has commanded me not to
forsake them (Hebrews
10:19-39).

i.The seriousness of this sin can be
seen in the context.

e.Because I owe it to my brethren in the
local congregation.

i.God's plan for the building up of the
Body of Christ calls for ACTIVE PARTICIPATIONupon the part of EVERY MEMBER (Ephesians
4:16).

1.The congregation is made up of
individual members.

a.The activity of the church depends upon
the activity of the members.

b.The strength of the church depends on the
strength of its members.

c.Diligence and steadfastness on my part
will strengthen the local congregation (1
Corinthians 15:58).

2.The church is a Fellowship.

(1
Corinthians 12:12 “For as the body is one and has many members,
but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also
is Christ.”)

a.The word means “joint participation” or
“Partnership.”

b.I have fellowship with the local
congregation to the extent that I jointly participate in every service
and work it undertakes.

(Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers.”)

3.The church is an army (Ephesians
6:11 -18).

a.A.W.O.L.'s
(absent without official leave) and deserters weaken any army and its
cause.

b.Because I owe it to those I might
influence (Romans 14:7-9).

i.To sell the world on the vitality and
value of Christianity, we must convince them that we are “sold on
it”.

II.IS IT A SIN IF I MISS
SERVICES?

a.Sin is a transgression of law.

1 John
3:4 “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is
lawlessness.”

b.To absent yourself from the Lord's day
assemblies usually involves at least three sins:

i.Forsaking assembly (Hebrews
10:25; Acts 20:7).

ii.Forsaking Lord's Supper (1
Corinthians 11: 17 -34; Acts 20:7).

iii.
Neglecting giving (1
Corinthians 16:1-4).

c.The question to be asked of any service or
class is, “IS IT A GOOD WORK?”

d.If the answer is “yes,” consider these
scriptures (Titus 2:14;
3:1;
James 4:17).

e.ACTUALLY, IF MY ATTITUDE IS RIGHT,
I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE!

i.While faithful attendance is a duty
imposed by God's law, we should count it rather a privilege and
blessing . If we love the Lord and want to be with
Him (Titus 2:13-14);
if we love our brethren and want to be with them (1
Peter 1:22);
if we are truly “hungering and thirsting for God's Word (Matthew
6:33),
we will be present at every service we are not providentially
hindered from attending.